Florida Department of Health in Collier County E-News

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It is my pleasure to share our recent name and logo changes. Our new name, Florida Department of Health in Collier County (DOH-Collier) replaces Collier County Health Department (CCHD). Every county in Florida has made a similar change. Because we are a system of 67 integrated health departments, we have all adopted a common logo, as well. Note, the logo is posted on upper left-hand side of this e-letter. It is colorful and bright as it reflects a new day in public health!

Each day is a new day to make a difference in the health and wellness of the residents and visitors of our community and throughout the
State of Florida. To accomplish this mission, it requires not only an integrated public health system, but also collaborative partnerships and active participation by each individual living here.

For more information on steps you can take to promote and protect the well-being of your family, friends and neighbors, please see the information below. To learn more about the overall health of our community, please click the following link to our recently completed Collier County Community Health Assessment. Our Epidemiology staff took the lead on this year-long effort to collect and compile comprehensive health data. I think you will find the information interesting
and useful as we work, together, to assure Collier County is a healthy place to live, work and play!

It is that time of year again! The kids will be heading off to school. In Collier County, public school starts on Monday August 19, 2013. Now is the time to be thinking about preparing. All children entering/registering for school for the first time must be up to date with all immunizations and have a certified 680 form. All 7th grade students must have a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) booster prior to the first day of school and a certified 680 form.

Avoid the rush!!! Schedule an appointment with your child's doctor or come to the Florida Department of
Health-Collier County. We have two locations. In Naples we are located at 3339 East Tamiami Trail in the Health Building within the Collier County Government Complex, and the hours for registration are Monday-Friday 8am-3pm. In Immokalee we are located at 419 North First Street and the hours for registration are Monday – Friday 8am-4pm. Both clinics are walk-in services, no appointment is necessary. Immunizations are given free to children birth through 18 years of age. For more information, please call (Naples) 239-252-8595 or (Immokalee) 239-252-7300.

Are You Prepared for Hurricane Season?

Hurricane season is June 1st to November 30th and preparation prior to a storm is critical. Each and every one of us needs to be completely self-sufficient for at least three days, as there is potential that no resources will be available. That's why Emergency Management says THE FIRST 72 IS ALL YOU! Consider the possibility of not having power/utilities or safe drinking water for a week or more. FEMA advises to have one gallon of water per person per day. A family of four will need over 12 gallons of water for just three days. Please visit the web
site floridadisaster.org for other items you'll want in your disaster kit including a list of needed supplies. Step by step instructions for disinfecting a flooded drinking water well are available at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. If you have a
private water well, consider printing these instructions and placing them in your hurricane kit - just in case!

Healthiest Weight Florida

With constant bombardment of advertisements with quick-fix diets and weight loss supplements, it's becoming increasingly difficult to see weight as a positive idea. The scale has turned into the enemy, leading to avoidance of weight entirely or to obsession of those little numbers.

The Healthiest Weight Florida initiative, led by Florida Department of Health Surgeon General, Dr. John Armstrong, encourages Floridians to discover their "healthiest weight”. For more information, go to www.HealthiestWeightFlorida.org. On this website, you will find a multitude of tools for adults and children, which encourage making healthier choices regarding nutrition and activity. In addition, on the home page, if you scroll to the bottom, you will find two excellent reports which can be useful resources. One is a report produced by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which outlines the cost of obesity. The other report was completed by the Institute of Medicine and details the recommendations for a comprehensive approach to reduce the obesity epidemic. Please share this site with family, friends and colleagues so that, together, we can make an impact on this serious public health issue.

Water Safety

Drowning remains the leading preventable cause of death among children in the State of Florida; Collier County is by no means immune. Between 2001 – 2012, more Collier county children between the ages of 1 – 4 died from drowning than any other preventable cause. These sobering headlines and disturbing statistics fostered the development of the NCH Healthcare System Safe & Healthy Children's Coalition of Collier County in August 2011.

The use of all layers of protection is the only way to be sure children are safe around water. Each layer
buys the parent or caregiver time to find the missing child before tragedy occurs. Layers of protection: 1. Supervise: Never take your eyes off children in and around water. 2. Use Barriers: Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms can prevent young children from wandering into the pool. Check for broken or missing drain covers. 3. Learn to Swim: To stay safer in the water, all family members should learn to swim well and if they do not know how to swim they need to wear Coast Guard approved life jackets. 4. Know How to Respond: Get training in basic water rescue skills, first aid and CPR. Have rescue equipment and a phone by the pool/beach/canal.